Ex-MP Margaret Moran on expenses charges sobs in court

FORMER Labour MP Margaret Moran broke down in tears in court yesterday as she faced charges of fiddling her expenses by almost £80,000.

The ex-MP for Luton South is alleged to have made dishonest claims for items ranging from £22,500 to treat a house for dry rot to £69.25 for linen.

She faces 15 charges of false accounting and six charges of using a false instrument after allegedly submitting forged invoices between November 2004 and August 2008.

Moran, who stood down at last year’s general election, is alleged to have “flipped” her designated second home several times, making claims for properties in London, Luton and Southampton.

She is accused of dishonestly claiming £22,500 to treat dry rot at her Southampton home, which is more than 100 miles from her former Bedfordshire constituency.

She is also said to have dishonestly claimed £14,805 for emergency heating and conservatory repairs and £4,756 for replacement kitchen units.

Margaret Moran is alleged to have “flipped” her designated second home several times

Other fraudulent claims allegedly included a forged invoice for more than £3,000 for garden services, a claim of £575.78 for a washing machine, fridge and kettle, £340.75 for shower screens and tile repairs, £175 for cleaning curtains, £290 for cleaning carpets, £305.51 for emergency plumbers and £69.25 for linen.

Moran, 56, who has always maintained her innocence, spoke only to confirm her name at City of Westminster magistrates court. She did not enter a plea to any charges.

The case was sent to crown court due to “the nature of the charges, their complexity and the value of the sums involved”.

Moran, from Southampton, was released on bail to appear at Southwark in south London next month.

Her appearance came two years after allegations of illegal expenses claims by MPs and peers first emerged.

Former MPs David Chaytor, Eric Illsley, Elliot Morley and Jim Devine, have already been jailed over the scandal along with Lord Taylor of Warwick and Lord Hanningfield.

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